Politics
Congress Approval Lowest in 2021 as Democrats Turn Negative
Congressional Approval Nosedives Among Democrats
- Congress approval falls six points to 21% in October
- Decline mainly due to plunge among Democrats, from 55% to 33%
- Democratic approval mirrors last time Democrats were in full control in D.C.
Americans’ approval of the job the 117th Congress is doing slipped six points in the past month to 21%, its lowest thus far in 2021.
While still better than the 15% approval rating at the end of the divided 116th Congress in December, today’s reading is well below this year’s high point of 36%. That was measured after Congress passed the latest COVID-19 economic relief package, known as the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
The latest results are from an Oct. 1-19 Gallup poll showing President Joe Biden’s approval rating steady at 42%, though his lowest by one point.
Congress’ job approval rating has averaged just 18% over the past decade-plus (since 2010), with individual readings during that time ranging from 9% to 36%. Against that backdrop, today’s 21% is about average for this era, even if low for 2021.
Congressional Approval Nosedives Among Democrats
Congress’ approval is low because hardly any Republicans (5%) and relatively few political independents (22%) offer positive reviews of the legislative body, at the same time that Democrats’ approval has plunged to its lowest level in 2021 — now 33%, down from 55% in September.
